A Tip of the Hat…

to Officer Joseph Toomey #786 of Tenderloin Station who spent the afternoon of his regular day off visiting with a few children at UCSF this past January 28, 2010. Joe, son of the venerable Joseph Toomey of the SFPD Homicide Detail, and brother of Robert Toomey #4021 of Ingleside Station, was a big hit with the youngsters. It was great to see such dedication from one of the younger members of our department. Every once in a while, you might hear some veteran officers rumbling that the new cops "just don't get it." This complaint certainly does not apply to Joe or any of the "younger " officers of our department who engage themselves in many community-oriented activities. As often as possible, I note the volunteered and dedicated actions of our members in this column and believe me, there is no shortage of younger officers being recognized. There are also many members of our department who would prefer that their generous community actions remain unheralded.

The youngsters had a great time playing BINGO with Joe and especially when they received their prizes! Thanks again, Joe…you were really great!

Scholarships…

For the fourth consecutive year, the SFPOA and the Academy of Art University of San Francisco are very proud to announce the 2010 Summer Art Experience Scholarship Program. This generous program is being offered to the high school aged sons and daughter of POA members. This program has been just outstanding for the families of our members because of the great opportunity this presents in the world of art, but it also helps our youths forge a bit of independence and affords them a glimpse of college life. The parents and students familiar with the Summer Art Experience have voiced nothing but praises since the POA was able to join forces with Dr. Elisa Stephens, President of the Academy of Art University of San Francisco and her extraordinary staff.

The POA has been very fortunate to have established a wonderful working relationship with Dr. Stephens, and we are once again very grateful for her overwhelming generosity.

If you would like to get a head start on this program, go to http://www.academyart.edu/degrees/pre_college.html. This website includes the Pre-College Summer Art Experience Program brochure as well specific information about schedules and classes.

At the same time, it pleases me to announce that two (2) full-time, four-year scholarships will be awarded to two (2) members of the POA. This award has been the practice for the previous years. Once again, these scholarships will be awarded based on essays written titled "Why I Would Like to Attend the Academy of Art University of San Francisco."

The submission deadline is Friday, March 19, 2010. Essays can be turned in to Kevin Martin at the POA Office, or sent by US Mail.

The four-year scholarship has also been a wonderful experience for our members who are looking at life beyond the police department. The previous winners of this most prestigious award have had the chance of a lifetime to receive a first-class education at one of the world's most prestigious art institutions.

There will be bulletins published and distributed regarding these two scholarships. Good luck to those who apply, and PLEASE…get your application and all scholarship information from the POA and turn in all necessary paperwork in a timely manner…

A Word of Thanks…

To Chief George Gascon for taking such an aggressive stance with certain members of the Police Commission, as well as the Board of Stuporvisors. In recent weeks, the Chief has gone toe-to-toe and not backed down on issues affecting the members of our department, and directly affecting the rank-and-file assigned to the Field Operations Bureau. Commissioner Petra DeJesus took on the Chief, accusing him of grandstanding and trying to circumvent the "good order" of the Police Commission by going to the press to further his goal of a "Discipline Arbitration" Charter Amendment (which in part would give the Chief of Police wider disciplinary powers) without first consulting the members of the Commission. The Chief quickly reminded the Commissioner that in fact the Chief had met with Commission member David Onek as well as Commissioner Dr. Joe Marshall. The Chief sternly stated that he had also met with members of the Board of Supervisors as well as the POA and legal counsel of the POA. The Chief quickly and sternly rebuked the Commissioner on her allegations. Then we have the matter of the "Sit/Lay (lie)" Law which would give patrol officers greater latitude in taking enforcement actions against those persons who have pretty much given up on themselves, and who apparently prefer to merely "exist" rather than to live a meaningful life. There are citizens, residents, and merchants who are tired of seeing a certain segment of society content with lying around on the sidewalk all day (any part of the city will do) while "quality of life" violations stack up in increasing numbers. It doesn't take long for one "gutter punk" sitting around on the sidewalk, (sipping a beer and scratching the belly of a chained up pit-bull dog) holding a sign pretty much telling the world to kiss off (but not before giving him/her some money to buy another beer) to be joined by four or five others of the same ilk. This activity and "expression" of "Free Speech" is a blight to our neighborhoods and becoming increasingly dangerous as these miscreants step up their "aggressive pan-handling." This has become a particular nuisance in the Haight-Ashbury where beat cops have been confronting these scofflaws for years. At first, the residents and merchants didn't seem to mind too much. After all, it is "The Haight…" But of late, the climate has started to change. The "gutter punks" have grown in numbers and became an increasing problem by blocking sidewalks and storefronts. Many are also becoming more physical and intimidating with their tactics. The police always made arrests, issued citations, and enforced the law to the best of their abilities. The officers heard the community's cry for help, but a lack of prosecution from the DA's office, opposition from the Bored of Supervisorless and the creation of "Community Courts" pretty much relegated the police effort to a mere inconvenience.

Newspaper articles in the local dailies noted the community's growing discontent of this problem and neighborhood fears of physical attacks by these thugs and hoodlums. The Chief held a news conference in the Haight to address this problem but the politicians in this town refuse to do anything without first bowing and bending over to the politically correct crowd who don't really give a damn about anything except their own agendas. The Chief is trying to take the city back from the criminals and trying to take the handcuffs off the cops allowing them to do just that. I think it is safe to say that the majority of residents and visitors in this town are backing his play. Why can't the politicians get on board and just do something for once because it is the right thing to do for the people?

Furthermore, why does Supervisor Mirkirimi think he is better qualified to run this police department than the Chief? His tactics may have worked under another administration, but the current Chief doesn't need help or input from the Supervisor when it comes to the deployment of his officers. My guess is that the Chief has just a little more experience in the area of police administration and police work in general than our esteemed supervisor.

Then of course, we have the little matter of Tasers. As most people know, San Francisco is one of the few major metropolitan cities in the United States that does not employ Tasers. Tasers are a less-lethal device that once deployed and fired at a suspect shoots wires containing small barbs that deliver a short burst of electricity designed to temporarily short circuit the central nervous system and incapacitate or disable the suspect. That brief incapacitation allows officers to handcuff or restrain the suspect. The Taser has been very affective in most cases subduing violent suspects without having to resort to lethal force. It should be noted and remembered that Tasers, like our Extended Range Impact Weapons are "less lethal" but not always "non-lethal."

At the Police Commission hearing at City Hall on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, Chief Gascon made his presentation before the Commissioners. The presentation included testimony from an American Civil Liberties Union attorney favoring Tasers, a medical doctor, and an expert in the area of Taser deployment. There was also a moving account from our own Sgt. Joe McCloskey. He testified about his own "nightmare" experience during a violent confrontation in which cops were being thrown around by a very large, angry offender and Joe almost had to employ lethal force just before sufficient help arrived to save the day. Sgt. McCloskey testified that a Taser would have offered the police another option without having to resort to discharging his service weapon.

The Chief's presentation was sound and covered all the bases. There was of course questions and discussion regarding the issue. At one point, Commissioner DeJesus asked the ACLU attorney, "Couldn't the Tasers kill people?" to which the attorney responded, "They (the officers) already have guns!"

Soon after, the various Commissioners started to weigh in, and soon moved to wait two weeks before making any kind of decision on whether or not to consider issuing the members of our department Tasers. Of course, they need to consult with their "constituents" on whether or not to even consider the matter. We all know what this means, in two weeks the commission meeting will be filled to the rafters with those community folks who will absolutely not tolerate a police department in "their" city who would arm themselves with such instruments of torture. Once again, the inmates are running the asylum. The actions of the commission left the Chief scratching his head in bewilderment and no doubt questioning his decision to accept this job. Rightfully so, he was frustrated by a city commission which wants it both ways…a body that does not wish its police department to resort to means of lethal force, but refuses to equip its police officers with the tools to do so. Commissioner Joe Marshall, one of two Commissioners to vote for the Tasers stated during the course of the meeting that he did not want to lose any members of the San Francisco community to lethal force as well as pointing out that he also did not want to see any police officers getting hurt on the job. So, we shall see…we shall see.

Gag Him with a Spoon…

The Chief is getting a very unpalatable spoonful of San Francisco politics and I'm sure it's enough to want to make him puke…pure and simple…But I know the Chief is resilient and not going to back down from doing what he thinks is right for this city and this department. The Chief did a very admirable job in the press conference shortly after an Officer Involved Shooting in the Ingleside Police District. In that incident, an officer was forced to employ lethal force on a mentally deranged individual armed with a machete who had earlier in the day called his doctor and essentially said that it was going to be a kill or be killed confrontation with the police, a form of the classic "Blue Suicide."

The Chief displayed the machete, played the 911 audio tape from the individual, gave an account of the incident and then gave the lead Police Inspector the opportunity to discuss certain matters involving the case. The feedback from the rank-and-file was very positive. Many officers stated, "it's about time we got out in front on stuff like this." I did not hear one negative reaction to the Chief's news conference. I may not always agree with the Chief or understand certain aspects of his thinking, but I must say it's like a breath of fresh air to have someone in our corner stand up to the politicians and critics of police in this city. It's great to have someone other than from the POA to stand up for our members and say or do the right thing.

Monsignor John Francis Heaney…

This month's column is dedicated to the great memory of Monsignor John Francis Heaney, former Chaplain of the San Francisco Police Department who passed away this past January 29, 2010. Monsignor was one of the most beloved members of this department. He had such a great influence on many police officers and their families. Monsignor Heaney was a native San Franciscan, born and raised in St. Paul's parish in the city's Mission District. He graduated from St. James High School and soon after joined the priesthood entering the seminary at St. Patrick's in Menlo Park. Msgr. Heaney during his career service to God and man served as Chaplain to the students of Sacred Heart High School, where he became involved in coaching football, and served under the tutelage of legendary great, William Henneberry. Msgr. Heaney later moved on to Marin Catholic High School where he served in similar capacities. Father Heaney also spent time at America's greatest Catholic University, Notre Dame, before becoming a Chaplain to the SFPD. Needless to say, the Monsignor's Wake/Rosary and funeral mass were well attended. The aforementioned legendary San Franciscan and father-in-law of Lt. Kevin McNaughton of Co. H., William Henneberry, spoke quite eloquently at Msgr. Heaney's wake. Among the rather colorful stories shared that evening, it was not lost on those of us who knew that the good Monsignor, although a "Man of the Cloth," was just as apt to offer a left hook or a right cross just as he would offer a prayer for a needy soul or give a person down on his luck the proverbial "shirt off his back." Godspeed, Monsignor Heaney…keep us in your thoughts and prayers…

See you guy's next month…